All race cars have an engine speed monitor called a tachometer or revolution counter. However, the race car braking system, which dissipates energy the engine produces in propelling the race car, has had no brake force monitor (even though the braking system can dissipate engine power in a few seconds, and is thus in one sense more powerful than the engine). Many race cars have adjustment capability for the driver to change the ratio of front to rear brake pressure and therefore, relative braking force. Certain race cars also (or alternatively) have adjustment requirements or capability for the driver to change the ratio of right wheel to left wheel front brake pressure and therefore, relative braking force. There is a need for a monitor for brake force adjustments in race cars, and to provide the driver with the knowledge of how the brake forces are distributed, which enhances race car performance and provides enhanced safety.
More specifically, race cars typically include a vehicle braking system with a brake bias adjuster which enhances and facilitates optimization of race car performance. The brake bias adjuster enables the driver to adjust and set a bias between the front brakes and the rear brakes of the braking system of the race car (and/or between the right and left front brakes of the braking system of the race car). Front brake bias enhances straight line braking (i.e., braking that occurs when the race car is moving in a straight line). This is because under heavy braking during straight line movement, weight distribution moves or transfers toward the front of the race car which enables the race car to slow down faster. Front brake bias also increases the chance of locking the front wheels of the race car during non-straight line movement or turning. On the other hand, rear brake bias provides a lighter braking force which assists in controlling the race car during non-straight line movement or turning that require braking. If too much rear brake force is exerted, relative to the front brakes, the rear tires will “lock up” and the race car can rotate or “spin out,” possibly creating an unsafe or dangerous condition.
One problem with known commercially available brake bias adjusters is that the driver cannot quickly and easily determine the relative front to back brake bias or brake bias setting (or right to left front brake bias or brake bias setting) while driving the race car. More specifically, known commercially available brake bias adjusters generally include: (a) a biasing mechanism coupled to the pedal assembly of the race car; (b) a brake bias adjustment knob; and (c) a connection cable such as a flexible shaft attached at one end to the brake bias adjustment knob and at the other end to the biasing mechanism coupled to the brake pedal assembly. In various commercially available braking systems, the biasing mechanism includes: (a) an internally threaded fulcrum device between the two master cylinders of the brake pedal assembly; (b) a pivoting bearing in the middle of the fulcrum that is configured to move or slide back and forth relative to the threaded fulcrum; and (c) a threaded shaft mounted in the pivoting bearing which causes the pivoting bearing to move or slide relative to the threaded fulcrum. When the brake bias adjustment knob is rotated, the connection cable rotates, and the threaded fulcrum shaft rotates, which causes leverage or bias or ratio of force distribution between the front and rear brakes to be changed. However, these known commercially available brake bias adjustment knobs do not visually indicate the position of the sliding bearing which is moved by the threaded shaft (in specific relative position or in specific number of turns) from one end of the pivoting bearing housing to the other end of the pivoting bearing housing. In other words, no visible specific indication exists to enable the driver to learn the bearing pivot position. When a driver looks at a known brake bias adjustment knob, the driver cannot determine: (a) the amount of brake bias toward the front or rear brakes; (b) if there is no bias set at all; or (c) if the bias is incorrectly set. This means that the driver must: (a) remember at all times how the brake bias adjuster is set (including the original setting and all adjustments made by the driver before and during the race); and/or (b) before each competition or event, turn the knob and the threaded shaft all the way in one direction to move the bearing pivot to the extreme front or rear brake position and then count the turns or rotations away from that position and remember the new position.
It is also virtually impossible for the driver to actually learn or know where the brake bias is set once a race car is in motion. The reason for this is that the only reference point is counting turns of an unmarked knob that adjusts the threaded fulcrum either from the fully front brake position or the full rear brake position. Once the race car is in motion, and the brakes are applied, the knob and cable are unable to turn because of the force exerted by the driver when pressing on the brake pedal locks the sliding bearing and prevents it from moving laterally. A race car driver has to use the brakes in a competition many times a lap. This lack of knowledge as to where the brake bias is set prevents the driver from turning the knob and applying the brakes simultaneously. The driver can either rotate the knob and therefore the adjustment at the brake bias bar in the brake pedal housing or apply the brakes of the car, but can't to both simultaneously. Commonly, drivers count the turns from either the front of the rear end of the travel of the pivot bearing. This cannot be done, once again, if the brakes are applied.
To solve these problems, there is a need for braking system with a brake bias adjuster which enables the driver to quickly learn or know, preferably visually, where the brake proportion is set for the car and firstly, verify the position of the brake bias and if needed, easily set, adjust, and determine the relative brake bias or brake bias setting of the vehicle (such as race car before and during a race). There is also a need for a method and apparatus for quickly and easily retrofitting existing vehicles (such as race cars) with a vehicle braking system brake bias adjuster which enables the driver to quickly and easily set, adjust, and determine the relative brake bias or brake bias setting of the vehicle (such as the race car before and during a race, and after a race for reference, or for the next time on that particular racetrack).
It should also be appreciated that many forms of racing include racing on a dry track and also at times racing on a drying track such as in dirt or off road racing or in road racing, in drizzle or rain. This requires more braking force to be added, relatively, to the rear brakes, and thus presents an additional need for the present disclosure.
It should further be appreciated that when fuel is added to a race car during an event, the brake force normally is changed to add more brake force to the end of the car with the fuel tank. When complicated with changing drivers, there is even more of a need for a reference for the brake force as provided by the present disclosure.
Accordingly, there is a need to solve these problems, to assist the driver in all of these situations, and to enable the driver to know how the brake ratio is set at all times.